Early flight after RCCL cruise

[basil1]

I hope it's OK to ask this question here. I'll be cruising on the Freedom of the Seas on 01/07/17- returning 01/15/17. My question is...is a 9:45 am flight out of FLL too early? I sail on Celebrity fairly regularly and we always take the 9:45 flight from FLL to ATL and have never even been close to missing our flight. We are usually sitting and waiting for a good while. Everything I have read says that's too early after an RCCL cruise. Just wondering since they are owned by the same parent company. Is their disembarkation all that different?

Thanks you any advice you can offer

[Biker19]

Nothing different, it's just that people on CC seem to stress over all kinds of possibilities making them late for the flight. Assuming the ship is on time and there are not issues during disembarkation, that flight time should be fine.

[Clarea]

I think you can make the flight if you choose self-assist disembarkation and line up early enough to be close to the front of the line. However, you have very little margin for delay.

 

Also, if Freedom is using terminals 24/25, I'd be wary of a flight that early. Something about using those terminals for disembarkation can cause delays.

[awestover89]

I think another difference is the number of passengers. I've only ever sailed on RCCL, but I'm pretty sure Celebrity ships are a bit smaller. Looks like the Equinox is about 1K fewer passengers than the Freedom, so disembarking might take longer

[billsgal]

Just got off Serenade in FLL on Friday and had an early flight. We had concierge services, so,our luggage was first off the ship and the concierge escorted us off at 7:45 Since we were first off, there were no lines at Immigration, and we were at the gate at 8:15.

 

However, if Freedom is using terminals Bob Mentioned, I would be a bit hesitant to take that early flight. We had concierge privileges last March and were escorted off the Independence, luggage was right there, but immigration lines were very long. If you have a suite and have concierge privileges, it is very doable. If you don't, I suggest you do self debarkation or get a very low luggage tag number, like 1 or 2.

 

 

Other folks in our party also made the flight, but they were able to get debarkation tags number 1 and they arrived about 20 minutes after us. It also helped that everyone in our group had TSA Pre check, as then security lines were quite long

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[crosby99]

It seems you can make it.

It is incredibly risky...why spoil the end of your holiday?

[Biker19]

The Freedom has the earliest scheduled arrival of any ship coming into PE - 5:30 AM. Folks will be able to walk off by 6AM. Unless there's some real major delay with immigration, making a 9:45 flight should not be an issue.

[basil1]

Thanks so much for your replies. I'll do some investigating and see if I can find out what terminal will be used and go from there.

 

Sorry about the crazy last sentence of my original post. I got distracted while posting and didn't proofread. haha.

[Biker19]

Looks like T29 this weekend - not sure if that is used all the time.

 

https://pevvesseltraffic.broward.org/webx/

[riclop]

You should be ok.

[GUT2407]

Probably be OK

 

But too early for me.

 

No idea why people want to make the last day stressful by having to rush to the airport and if there are any delays there goes the old blood pressure you've bought down by having a cruise.

 

But then perhapsmany don't have enough stress in their life.

[George C]

Most likely will make it, do you fell lucky? I would not do it

[klombar]

Looks like T29 this weekend - not sure if that is used all the time.

 

https://pevvesseltraffic.broward.org/webx/

 

Same one we got off in last Saturday. I would keep an eye on it. This past weekend there were lots of delays but it could have been because of the move of the ship. We were about 1 1/2 late getting off the ship. Im not sure what time they let the walk offs go. Lines for customs were long and traffic was tough getting into the drop off pick up area. I saw a few people trying to change flights as we waited to get off.

[easyboy]

Just do the self-debark and you might make it.

Please give us some feedback if you don't.

[wendyatpml]

We have made 10AM flights numerous times and were at the airport before 8AM. Just carry off your luggage. There are lots of taxis. I wouldn't wait for a later flight because all you do is sit around the airport. You will be fine.

[sellwingri]

Just got off Serenade in FLL on Friday and had an early flight. We had concierge services, so,our luggage was first off the ship and the concierge escorted us off at 7:45 Since we were first off, there were no lines at Immigration, and we were at the gate at 8:15

 

 

Great to hear! We're on Serenade in a GS in March and are thinking of booking a 10:20am flight. Now I'll book that flight.

[IAMGPW]

Just got off the Freedom on Saturday. There was a 2 hour hold up because of customs and pretty much everyone was stuck on the ship. I wouldn't book a 9:30 am flight

[basil1]

Well, we won't be finding out if the 9:45 would have been ok or not. I went to book it (about a week after I had last looked at it) and it was gone. Very strange because the last time I had looked at the flight it wasn't even half full. Surprising that it could sell out in ~ a week. Obviously the cruise lines didn't take all those seats since they tell you not to book a flight that early. I was going to go for it but alas that will not happen. Thanks for the info though, I appreciate it. :-)

[FloatMe]

We self-assist disembarked from Allure 2 weeks ago. We walked out of our cabin at 6:45 am and we were sitting at our gate by 7:40am. :eek:

 

Obviously anything could go wrong, but we didn't wait anywhere in the process. No line for customs, no line for taxi.